Can anyone walk me through the process from downloading the image to getting it on the board? I have the image printed out, and have looked at the EBOOK, but the materials, lamination process and transfer, to me, is not entirely self-explanatory. I have read this more than a few times. Thank you.
Ray

Mr. Nault, I'm not really sure what I can add to all the descriptions in the book. Because you live here in Tokyo, it might be simplest for you to pick up a sheet of the double-layer hanshita paper from Matsumura-san. It's #22 in his catalogue, and they'll sell you just a single sheet of it if you wish.

The rest of the process isn't complicated. Just cut a piece to the appropriate size, run it through your computer printer to get the image onto it, and then paste it face down onto the wood, following the sequence of photos shown in the eBook ...

Thank you for your suggestion. I should have been more specific about what I do not understand, from a beginner's point of view, trying to understand the process using your pictures and descriptions.

Making the lamination, I take it the 'backing' paper is the one carrying the image printed our from the computer?

The image is then transferred through the ganpi to the block, and I am peeling off the backing paper which has the computer image?

If you are spraying the backing sheet as it shows in the picture, then laying it down on the ganpei paper, then I would be spraying the image side of the backing(?), but I see no image on what is being sprayed.

On the page showing the paste-down, I can see the ganpi on the backing sheet, and of course on the board itself.

Or, if the ganpi is carrying the image from the computer, how does such thin paper get through the computer. It has not worked very well so far for me!!

I am also wondering about treating the board before applying the hanshita. In one book I have they use a bond-material to tightenup the board before sanding, which is supposed to save on ink? Are your boards re-treated, or in such a simple beginner's exercise is the carving tightness and ink expense negligible?

Ray

No, I'm sorry ... The (blank) gampi is pasted to a (blank) sheet of normal copy paper. This two-layer lamination is then run through your printer, and the image is thus put onto the thin gampi paper.

The lamination step is necessary because gampi is far too thin and fragile to go through the copy process.

You then paste it face down onto the wood, and it is only the gampi that adheres ... the backing sheet (which stays blank) is then pulled off and discarded.


I have never treated any of my blocks, in any way whatsoever. I hear about people who have brushed white glue over plywood to make it more amenable to the process, but I have no experience with this.

The cherry I normally use, certainly doesn't need it, and (I understand) the shina plywood commonly available for printmaking is useable 'as is', although I have to emphasize that I have very little experience with it. Perhaps others will chime in here with their own experiences ...

Thanks again. You do inform us that this lamination is easy to run through the computer. Unfamiliar with this process I did not see what you meant. I was trying to follow the pictures not understanding I was making the lamination to be run through the computer. By the way, that is a very clever solution. I have had several experimentations with my 'nengajo', and decided to try an easier approach!

I really appreciate your feedback. I want to try to go through all your steps and in doing so just give feedback and in doing so hope I am not too much of a pain in the backside. With so much effort into the book I thought you might also 'enjoy' the feedback from an embarassingly sheer beginner.

Ray

I'm not bothered! If there are parts of the book that are not completely clear, then it's important that I hear about it! Eventually, with enough Q&As on this forum, there should be nothing left that isn't completely clear to everybody!